Tag Archives: tony mcnulty

Sara Bedford

The price of a Labour marginal? £81 million

By Sara Bedford | Fri 2nd April 2010 - 6:05 pm

Earlier this year Professor Tim Briggs, medical director of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital at Stanmore, threatened to challenge local MP Tony McNulty and stand as an independent candidate for Harrow East. Professor Briggs was angry that after a 15 year campaign for funding to rebuild the hospital and a decision to fund essential repairs two years ago, the hospital remains in a state of disrepair, with rainwater seeping through ceilings and a maintenance backlog estimated at £54 million. The situation had worsened further, when a row between the hospital and NHS London intensified, leading to fears that the hospital could be split up as part of a restructuring process to save money.

Within four days of Professor Briggs announcement, Andy Burnham, the Secretary of State for Health had agreed an emergency meeting to discuss funding for the hospital. And on the last full business day before the General Election, an £81 million package to rebuild the hospital was announced. Professor Briggs expressed his delight at the decision, but not his surprise. Andy Burnham expressed similar thoughts when the Professor later announced that he would not now seek to join Dr Richard Taylor on the green benches. Making the announcement, Andy Burnham said, “Tony brought me here in 2006 and made the case for the hospital and for his constituency, and for me it was unfinished business.” One wonders why it took four years for the business to be finished?

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Posted in General Election and News | Also tagged , , and | 5 Comments
Mark Pack

Power2010 ups its local campaigning

By Mark Pack | Wed 10th March 2010 - 3:45 pm

When I covered the results of the Power2010 consultation on what political reforms it should promote, there was a brief discussion on this site and elsewhere about whether Power2010 would have the campaigning muscle to really make an impact.

Today brings news of how Power2010 is trying to ensure that. Their news release says:

MPs were put on notice today as democracy group Power2010 announced its plans to target those MPs who have consistently opposed cleaning up and reforming our political system.

The Power2010 campaign, which has received almost £1 million from the Rowntree Trusts and now has paid organisers across the

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Posted in News | Also tagged | 3 Comments
Stephen Tall

Tony McNulty: “Benefit thieves will not get away with it”

By Stephen Tall | Tue 24th March 2009 - 10:53 pm

Ah, the irony… Labour-run Lewisham Council might perhaps have picked a better day to champion employment and welfare reform minister Tony McNulty’s crackdown on fraudulent benefit claimants. Here’s their press release issued today:

A joint investigation by Lewisham Council and the Department of Works and Pensions (DWP) has led to the successful prosecution of a woman who defrauded nearly £43,000 in benefits from them. … Councillor Susan Wise, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, said: “From the Council’s perspective, this is money that could have been spent on people who need it. Through working together with the DWP we have successfully stopped

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